How many ways can reporters say McCain is lying without using the word "lying"?

We went through this with the press corps and the Bush administration. Bush or his lackeys would blatantly lie to the White House press corps. The reporters sitting in the White House press briefing room knew that Bush and his lackeys were lying. But, they never reported on the lies. They did contortions and used code words, but never said it. So, the American people weren't told and Bush got away with it.

Given that Bush's lackeys are running McCain's campaign, it's no surprise the pattern is repeating. McCain has institutionalized lies into his stump speech and his t.v. ads. He's been lying about Obama's tax plan. Now, the lie is about Palin's alleged opposition to the "Bridge to Nowhere." Palin supported the bridge in 2006.

In today's Wall Street Journal, we see the reporters try to tell us McCain is lying -- without saying that he's lying:

The Bridge to Nowhere argument isn't going much of anywhere.

Despite significant evidence to the contrary, the McCain campaign continues to assert that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told the federal government "thanks but no thanks" to the now-famous bridge to an island in her home state.

"Despite significant evidence to the contrary." Hmmm. So, it's not true. That means someone isn't telling the truth. That means someone is lying.

This passage shows just how cocky the McCain crew is about foisting lies on reporters:

Senior adviser Mark Salter pointed to her role in killing the project while in office and allocating the money elsewhere. When pressed further that it was actually Congress that stopped the earmark, Mr. Salter said: "She stopped it, too. She did her part." Mr. Salter added that he welcomed a fight over earmarks with the Obama campaign.

Just lie right to their faces. McCain and his crew think reporters are spineless wimps. They think the American people are stupid.

Fortunately, the Obama campaign has dropped any reticence about calling McCain and his campaign liars. The new ad, released yesterday, calls out the lying. And, again links McCain to Bush, who set the standard for lying: